Field notes, observations and assorted 909-sense from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin columnist

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Strawberry donuts beat french dip sandwiches

In KCET’s charming sports-bracket-type poll to choose LA’s Iconic Dish, Glendora’s Donut Man bested all comers, from Kogi’s short rib tacos and Langer’s pastrami to CPK’s barbecue chicken pizza and, in the final pairing, Philippe’s french dip. How about that!

Their last day of cutting strawberries will be Saturday, they say on their Facebook page. I stopped by last Sunday after lunch nearby and got one, pictured above, without even knowing they’d won the contest.

Watch a 45-second video here of two workers making them, shot through the window as I stood in line. I love how the guy stuffs one extra strawberry into the donut.

Maybe Philippe’s would have won if they’d put just one extra piece of roast beef into their roll…

KCET picked the iconic foods and it was up to people to vote online. I haven’t had Philippe’s beef stew, but I like their chili, another under-the-radar menu item.

SAWZ

I found out their chili secret from another diner–it is Delores block-chili. The diner I talked with said you need to specify whether you want straight chili or chili with beans. Its a dish I never tried there because I want the stew.

Andy Sze

Philippe’s has a beef stew? That sounds like a must try!

SAWZ

It’s really a soup but they call it a stew. It is in a light beef broth with big chunks of beef and huge chunks of vegetables–carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, tomatoes. I love it! It is lighter fare than the sandwiches. I complement it with coleslaw which is exactly like my mother made, and tapioca pudding. If you go in the restaurant and there are long lines, you can walk up to the short counter, if you are not ordering sandwiches. You get service much quicker. It’s a total of $10 with tips.

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A roundup of news, history, food, travel and cultural items from around the Inland Valley.